The Killing
Ever wondered what it's like for soldiers to make split-second life-or-death decisions? Armitage throws you straight into the action as three soldiers encounter a looter raiding a bank.
The conversational tone ("probably armed, possibly not") shows how soldiers try to justify their actions. Notice how the speaker repeats this phrase - it reveals his desperate need to convince himself the killing was necessary. The uncertainty haunts him because the man might have been defenceless.
The brutal imagery gets increasingly graphic. "I see every round as it rips through his life" shows the speaker watched every bullet tear through the victim. The phrase "sort of inside out" demonstrates how dehumanising language helps soldiers cope with violence.
Key insight: The repetition of "somebody else" shows the speaker trying to share blame - he can't handle the guilt alone.
